Final answer:
Albert Bandura is the researcher most closely associated with the Bobo doll studies which are foundational to the understanding of observational learning and social learning theory.
Step-by-step explanation:
The researcher who is most closely associated with the Bobo doll studies is Albert Bandura. These studies were a series of experiments conducted to understand social learning theory, particularly how children learn and imitate behaviors they observe in adults. Bandura's work showcased that when children witnessed an adult being rewarded or not being punished after displaying aggressive behavior towards the Bobo doll, the children were more likely to imitate the aggressive actions.
Observational learning, which is a key component in Bandura's social learning theory, proposes that people can learn new behaviors by watching others. Unlike the theories of other psychologists like B.F. Skinner, emphasized reinforcement and punishment as direct influencers of behavior, Bandura's theory indicates that learning can occur through observation and imitation, without the need for direct reinforcement or punishment.